This invention relates to a myringotomy operation and to an associated instrument.
Children frequently have an abnormal condition characterized by fluid in the middle ear cleft. In a myringotomy or tympanotomy operation, a surgical incision is made with a cutting blade in the tympanic membrane or the patient to allow the release of trapped fluid. Generally, a ventilation or pressure equalization tube is placed in the incision to drain the fluid and ventilate the middle car for a longer period than would be possible with only an incision of the ear drum. A myringotomy and tube placement is conventionally performed in a hospital operating room. This is an expensive procedure, owing to the necessary presence of several specialists (anesthesiologist, surgeon, etc.).
It is known to use a carbon dioxide laser to burn a hole in the tympanic membrane. This procedure is expensive, inasmuch as it requires expensive laser equipment and an expensive microscope. Moreover, the procedure produces an aperture of two millimeters in the tympanic membrane, which is too large to be useful for most myringotomies.